Why We Chose Portugal to Start Off Grid Life?

It may surprise you to hear that our decision to move to Portugal was somewhat, an impulsive one. We originally were searching for a piece of land, with a ruin to renovate, on the West coast of Ireland. Despite many long road trips up and down the country, our search in Ireland came up short. This got us thinking about other options. We were frustrated by not being able to find something that ticked our boxes and so, out of nowhere, the big Portugal idea was born.

We began some research and things escalated quickly! Before we knew it, we had booked flights to Porto, planning to use this trip to get a feel for the place and to view some properties while there. One month later, we were on the way to visit the place that we would later call home.

We loved everything about it and we were actually spoiled for choice with property options. We headed back to Northern Ireland, having put an offer on our dream abandoned farm. Were we sure of our decision? Absolutely! For us, this move to Portugal made perfect sense. Here's why…

Climate

It isn't hard to find somewhere with better weather than Ireland, but Portugal definitely ticked this box! Now, the North of the country, where we live, certainly gets its fair share of rain in the Winter months. It also does get rather chilly, with snow on the highest mountains. Did you know there is a ski slope in Portugal? Well, that's a story for another blog. The summer is beautifully warm, with plenty of sunshine nearly every day. As soon as Spring hits temperatures rise, and it stays pretty hot right through until the end of October.

Not only does the good weather suit our desired outdoor lifestyle very well, but it is also ideal for the off-grid life that we want to live!

With so much sunshine, we have managed to use solar panels as our sole source of electricity. The rains mean that there is no shortage of water for household use, and it also keeps the soil super fertile. Speaking of soil, the climate here means amazing growing conditions for a giant range of fruit and veggies. Our goal is, and always has been, to work towards self-sufficiency. An important part of this is having the ability to grow as much of our own food as possible. We couldn't believe how rich the soils were on our land already. During the summer when we first arrived, the land provided us with peaches, apples, persimmons, figs and kiwis - which is just amazing, considering the land had been left abandoned for so many years. One of the main things that attracted us to Portugal was the possibility of growing so many of the foods we love, which just wouldn't have been possible in Ireland. We actually were so close to buying a productive blueberry farm on the Douro Valley! That was, of course, before our Quinta won over our hearts.

Nature

We had never visited the North of Portugal before our viewing trip, and we were blown away by the amazing mountain landscapes here. We are also big beach lovers and enjoyed surfing back in Northern Ireland. The coastline in Portugal spans from the very North to the very South of the country, featuring white sand beaches, that just go on and on. And with the Atlantic Ocean meeting the coast, the waves aren't too bad either. Nazaré, anyone? Although we think we will stick to watching the big wave Surfers.

As you move inland, the spectacular landscapes continue. The terrain becomes mountainous, and there are too many epic views to count. Due to the climate, everything still feels very green, with wide spanning forests and well-kept vineyards a common view. We love to spend our time outdoors, and with so much nature about, we will never be stuck for something to do. We are spoiled for choice with the ocean, the rivers, and the mountains.

It's not everywhere that you can go on a breathtaking hike, or a swim beneath a waterfall, from your front door.

It's fair to say, the abundance of nature suits the lifestyle we want to enjoy.

Affordability

When looking for our dream land, we had a very limited budget, which in Ireland meant very limited choice. We weren't just moving house, we were making a life-changing decision to move away from the rat race. For this reason, we didn't want to have a mortgage, so whatever property we picked, we had to be able to buy with savings. Affordable rural properties in Portugal are easy to come by. It's common here to see abandoned houses and ruins in the countryside. It is often only the older generation left behind in these areas. By choosing Portugal, we were given a much greater choice of properties that fitted our budget.

We got more for our money than we could ever have dreamed of.

Culture

I would love to say that one of the reasons we chose Portugal initially was the culture, but we actually hadn't spent enough time in the country yet to experience it properly. However, after living here and integrating into our new local area, we can say with confidence, that the Portuguese culture is a massive draw for those considering a similar move. People have been nothing but kind and welcoming to us, and it really helped us settle in quickly. Strangers have helped us out on more occasions than we can count! And for those wanting to pursue a more simple life, the rushing about, ‘always in a hurry’ attitude just isn't a thing in Portugal. We have to admit, this took a bit of time to adjust to.

So, if you want to live in a country that is full of beautiful nature, people and landscapes, with a lot of sunshine on the side, Portugal is the place. We have found the perfect location for setting up our off-grid Homestead - our very own slice of paradise. We are delighted to call this place home.